Most colleges require vaccination verification

College-bound seniors need to look into the immunization requirements for their chosen schools.

Jessica Roberson, Editor-in-Chief|Mar 18, 2014

College is only a few months away for many seniors, and that can only mean one thing: paperwork.

One of the most important forms to remember is what many schools call the “Certification of Immunization,” which verifies that you have had all the required vaccinations to attend college classes and live in a dorm-style residency.

Most colleges require the following:

  • Hepatitis B
  • Meningitis (Some schools consider this as optional, but as Meningitis often leads to brain damage, can be deadly and is contagious, especially in community-style residencies, it’s best to think of it as required.)
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
  • Tdap (Tetanus and Diptheria)
  • Tuberculosis Screening
  • Varicella (Chicken Pox)

These are highly recommended but usually optional:

  • Hepatitis A
  • HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
  • Influenza
  • Typhoid

Even if the school that you plan on attending does not require all of the above, the safest option is always to get the vaccinations anyway, as the diseases spread much quicker in dorms and many college students will delay medical attention until they deem it necessary.

 

 

A portion of the Certificate of Immunization for the University of Georgia.
The CDC recommends this vaccination schedule for children from birth to age 18.